Car-coupling



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1. W. McGONWAY.

OAR COUPLING. No. 350,011. Patented Sept. 28, 1886.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. MOOONWAY.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 350,011. Patented Septr28, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @EEicE.

IVILLIAM MCCON\VAY, OF FITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,011, dated September 28,1886.

Application filed June 29, Iss6.

T0 (LZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, \VILLIAM l\IoOoNw.-\Y, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplers, of which improvements the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of the ordinarylink-and-pin type of d rawbar with a single spring. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing link-anttpin type of draw-bar and swinginghook draw-bar, each having a single spring. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing two swinging-hook couplers, each having a single spring. Fig. etis a view similar to Fig. 3, the swinging-hook couplers being provided with auxiliary buffing-springs. Fig. 5 is a plan view similar to Fig. 2, the swinging-hook coupler being provided with an auxiliary buffing-spring. Fig. 6 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of aswinginghook coupler having the auxiliary buffingspring.

The invention herein relates to certain improvements in bufli ng-springs for car-couplers, especially that class or kind having theswinging or pivoted hook engaging in a vertical plane, and has for its object such a construction and arrangement of parts as will provide for a greater range of buffingmovemcnt of the draw-bar, and at the same time preserve the normal draft movement, thereby relieving the draft-rigging of the shock and strain incurred when two swinging pivoted hook couplers meet without coupling, or when an automatic and an ordinary link-andpin draw-bar meet, whether for coupling or otherwise.

On cars provided with the ordinary linkand-pin type of draw-bar the draw-bar 1 and its connections (see Fig. 1) are so secured to the ear that in normal position the outer face of the draw-bar will project beyond the ends of the dead-b1ocks2 adistance which is slightly less than the total movement necessary on the part of the draw-bar to close the spring 3. In such an arrangement of parts it is evident that when two cars are thrown together, in the ordinary operations of yard-drilling, the deadblocks 2 on adjacent ends of the cars will come in contact with each other before the draw- Serial No. 206.391. (X0 model.)

bars have been moved sufficiently to close the springs S-solidly together, thus transferring the shock of the collision of the two cars from the drz'ift-rigging A to the frame of the cars through the dead-blocks. This arrangement of draw-bar and its connection with relation to the dead-blocks is uniform and sinr ple in the link-and-pin type of couplers, and will operate effectively at all times and under all circumstances, the adjustment of the parts being relatively as above specified for all patterns of this type.

The conditions above mentioned are totally different when the swinging or pivoted hook coupler is substituted for the link and pin, and are also totally different when the couplers proper or draw-bar head or the dead-blocks project different distances from the ends of their respective cars.

The construction and manner ofengagcment of the swinging or pivoted hook coupler are such that the draw-bars I project a considerable distance beyond the end sills, 5, ofthe car, and a considerable movement on the part of one or both draw-bars is necessary after their extreme outer ends are in the same vertical plane before the hooks 6 will engage. (See Fig. 3.) As shown in this figure, each hook must move a distance a little greater than its width before said hooks can engage.

In the ordinary operations of yard-drilling it is frequently necessary that two couplers of this class should be thrown together when the hooks are closed, as shown in Figs. 8 and 4, that the swinging or pivoted hook coupler should be thrown in contact with an ordinary link-and-pin coupler, (see Fig. 2,) and,finally, that two swinging or pivoted hook couplers should be thrown together with their hooks open in order to couple.

The simplicity of the conditions required in the ordinary link-and-pin coupler in order to make the dead-blocks always effective disappears when it is necessary to meet the varied requirements in buffing or coupling above mentioned when the swinging or pivoted hook coupler is used, and at the same time to pre serve the normal range of draft movement of [C0 the coupler.

In Fig. 2 are shown. the draw-bar 1,01' the link-and-pin type of coupler, and a swinging or pivoted hook coupler, 4, the hook 6 being A the cars are provided with dead-blocks 2 and 8, proportioned as to projection from the sill of the car to the normal projectionof the drawbars 1 and 4, respectively. The draw-bars l and 4 are in the position they would occupy when the ears have been forced together with such force as to close the springs 7 solidly together. The range of motion of the springs is not sufficient, however, to permit the deadblocksto meet. The whole shock of the collision is borne by the draft-rigging, and the deadbloeks are useless. A similar state of affairs is found when two automatic orswinging hook couplers 4, each provided with a single draft 7 spring, are thrown together with their hooks two hooks, and this effectiveness of the deadblocks is due solely to the fact that the cars can approach more nearly together when the hooks'are open by an amount equal to the combined width of the two hooks.

To obtain the amount of buffing or rearward movement of the draw-bars necessary to the operativeness of the dead-blocks, and at the same time to maintain the range of draft or forward movement thereof within proper lin1- its, an auxiliary spring, 10, is interposed between the front follower-plate, 9, and a collar or shoulder, 12, on the draft bar 11. In this construction a greatly-increased rearward movement of the draw-bar is permitted, as will be clearly seen, without changing the forward or draft movement, which is entirely regulated by the springs 7. The auxiliary bu flingspring may, if desired, be arranged in the rear of the combined buffing and draft spring.

The range of rearward movement now permitted to a draw-Darin buffing .is approximately one and three-quarters inch; but, as above stated, this movement is not sufficient with the swinging or pivoted hook coupler to meet the varied requirements of the service asabove stated. The draw-bar and auxiliary spring are so arranged and proportioned as to permit of an additional movement of the drawbar a little in excess of the width of the swinging hooks.

I claim herein as my.invention- 1. The combination, with a car-coupler and draft mechanism, of an auxiliary bufi'er-spring, substantially as shown and described, to compensate for differential projections from the ends of the ears of the coupler-heads or the dead-blocks.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the draw-bar and its draft and buffing mechanism, of an auxiliary buffing-spring arranged to permit of an increased rearward movement of said draw-bar, and thereby compensate for different projections of the coupling or buffing devices from the ends of the cars, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a draw-bar, a cornbined draft and buffing spring, an auxiliary lmfting-spring arranged to operate during the rearward movement of the draw-bar and deadblocks, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a draw-bar having a swinging or pivoted hook, a combined draft and buffing spring, an auxiliary buffing-spring and dead-blocks, thelength of the dead-blocks being such. relatively to the traverse of the springs that the dead-blocks will receive the impact of an adjoining car before the springs have been closed by such impact, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

XVILLIAM BICCON\VAY.

\Vitnesses:

It. H. \VIIITTLESEY, J. SNowDEN BELL. 

